THE WINTER LONG open thread!

Why would a human civic official have the authority to perform a Fae marriage? Furthermore, when Toby was riding Simon's blood, she caught a memory of Simon and Amandine's hands being clasped between the hands of the then-reigning King (who was liege to both of them) in what looked like a "handfasting" ritual. But who is liege to Tybalt, since he's a King in his own right? So, then, who does have the authority to marry Toby and Tybalt? I don't think even the Luidaeg does.

And May would never forgive Toby for not getting seriously dressed up. No, there's got to be a short cease-fire to allow for a day or two of spectacle. (I could make them a wedding cake and perform the ceremony - I'm both a Wiccan Priestess and a card-carrying Minister in the Universal life church - and on two occasions, I've put the finishing touches on a wedding cake, then whisked off to change into ritual garb in order to perform the ceremony. But, as far as I can tell, my bloodlines are completely human...)

Heh. I guess there'd be two issues; what would be a marriage ceremony that would be meaningful for *them*, and what would be a marriage ceremony that would count under fae law.

I don't know the latter, but I'm sure there are rules. Although if the rule really is that it's their liege... it might not matter about Tybalt, since he's liege to nobody-- maybe at that point it only matters that it's Toby's liege-- but it's going to be thorny if it has to be Sylvester, since neither of them are exactly happy with him right now.

The former... I could see a human officiant having some meaning for Toby, out of memory of her father. There wouldn't be anyone she specifically knows well enough in the human world, but I could imagine her wanting to have a separate short ceremony in a human church or civic office or something, especially if she knows where her parents were married.

Quentin's father the High King, or possibly even Queen Arden, would, I think, be empowered to solemnize Toby's marriage, and since they rank above Sylvester, they're certainly able to override him... but I don't think there's anybody above the various Kings and Queens of Cats - I think they're all considered equal in rank. (And I'd be very surprised if Toby knew anything about the circumstances of her parents' marriage.)

I can't imagine Toby in a real wedding with bunches of guests. My sides are aching with laughter just thinking about it. But her many friends will riot if there is a Fae elopement. And I'll join them.

May would never stand for a gownless, non-ostentatious event; she and Jazz and dozens of other Fae with similar cultural biases will just whisk her away, and before she can catch her breath (or start bleeding), she'll be in the midst of a spectacle that will make Arden's coronation look like an ice-cream social.

Also, what better way to drag Amandine back into the picture - how could she resist being the Mother Of The Bride? :-)

Also, what better way to drag Amandine back into the picture - how could she resist being the Mother Of The Bride? :-)

*sudden beverage/nose interface*

Most Fae seem to be drama queens/kings/whatevers to some degree, and Amandine is one of the more dramatic ones - probably because she's crazy. (If she were human, she might be diagnosed as having Histrionic Personality Disorder.) Rather than Toby being "Bridezilla", Amandine would be "Mother-Of-The-Bride-Zilla" - and I've met a few. Or rather she'd try to be, but every female Fae from Quentin's mother to Mags the Librarian to the Luidaeg would, um, prevent her from spoiling Toby's marriage.

Gods, I can hardly wait!